Best Award Ever
by The-KLF
Summary: A Season 3 AU insert somewhere after the two-parter, where Josh is a twinkle in his mom's eye and Gina is just an ex-wife. #CastleFanficMonday
1. Chapter 1

**Best Award Ever**

A Season 3 AU insert somewhere after the two-parter, where Josh is a twinkle in his mom's eye and Gina is just an ex-wife.

This has been a work in progress since January 2014 that I vowed I wouldn't post until it was complete. I'm beyond excited to finally share it with you, and I really love it. I hope you do too. Infinite thanks to Jo for your superlative edits: _Sans toi, les émotions d'aujourd hui ne seraient que la peau morte des émotions d'autrefois._

* * *

A pigeon stood on the ground observing its surroundings, cooing to itself and any other creatures that would listen. It pecked at the red brick tiles below its feet, searching for crumbs it wouldn't find. The pigeon ignored the humans around it expertly.

A young boy, no more than two years old, was strapped into a stroller, his mom close by chatting to someone. He watched the pigeon's progress, feeling the spring breeze on his face and in the tight curls of his hair. Suddenly, his brother charged across the space, his feet slapping the tiles. The pigeon took flight in a flurry of surprise, wings flapping noisily. The boy watched it fly up into the blue sky, its outline starkly contrasted against the white and grey smudges of the clouds.

As it alighted in a nearby tree, the breeze picked up and wafted the sweet scent of a New York City spring day across the square. Above the blaring horns of yellow cabs, the bright, young leaves rustled and below the stuttering clouds the pigeon cooed again in its search for food.

"Behave!" The boys' mother grabbed the older boy's shoulder to make him stand still as she straightened his tie and buttoned up his little suit jacket. "Daddy will be out here soon, so be on your best behavior for him, okay?" The boy nodded and glared silently at his younger brother, willing him to start making a scene instead, but the little one's attention had been captured by an interesting pair of people striding past.

A tall, broad-shouldered man with perfectly coiffed brown hair and an expensive-looking dark navy wool suit, his white shirt crisp and his green silk tie dotted with tiny white stars, walked beside a beautiful, petite African-American woman wearing a business-like heather grey dress and jacket with white piped details that matched her high heels and purse. They were both smiling at nothing in particular but the man noticed the boys and gave them a wave as they moved to take their seats.

* * *

"Here we are... row 'D', seats eight and nine, Lanie."

"Thanks, Castle. Where did you get that tie from, by the way?"

"Oh, I had it made especially, to match Beckett's newest bar."

"Right, of course! I like it, brings out your eyes."

They moved their way up the aisle and sat down, the seats around them filling up quickly until the doors of One Police Plaza were opened in front of the assembled crowd and a group of officers in their dress uniforms – hats, white gloves and all – were led out by a standard bearer with the NYPD flag. A hush fell and the only sound that echoed through the square was their boots on the brick tile below their feet.

As the troop came to a halt, Lanie noticed Castle sit up a little straighter, his eyes roving the lines to find _his_ detective. She smiled a little sadly to herself, wondering if that particular detective would ever get her act together and let _her_ writer in. Castle glanced at Lanie with a proud grin on his face, his enthusiasm infectious. He returned his gaze to face the front as the officers filed to their seats, Ryan and Esposito both grinning at him and Lanie before they turned to sit down.

* * *

Castle's smile faded a little when Beckett didn't acknowledge him before she also took her seat but he saw Esposito lean slightly in her direction and the minute turn of her head as he whispered to her, followed by the almost imperceptible nod before she returned her attention to the police commissioner as he began his welcome speech. Rick was about to give up and follow her lead when she finally turned her head, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth until her face broke into a glorious smile that he couldn't help but return.

Lanie, seeing the whole thing, elbowed Castle in the ribs while Beckett was still looking, mostly to remind him to breathe, but it caused Beckett to purse her lips in amusement, holding the laughter inside. When he returned his gaze to her after glaring at Lanie, Beckett had turned back to the front, but now there was a lingering smile and a crinkle by her eye, and he felt satisfied with a job well done.

When the police commissioner finished explaining the NYPD's reasoning for having Medal Day, the ceremony began. The mayor was presiding and handing over the awards, and Castle realized he'd missed a trick in not asking Bob where they were hiding his medal. Not that he felt like he deserved one anyway, no matter what he might say to Beckett and the boys, they were the ones who had really put their lives on the line that day. Okay, so he'd disarmed a dirty bomb, but really it had been pure luck and they all knew it. No, he was perfectly content to be sitting beside his favorite Medical Examiner for this ceremony.

He flashed her a quick smile, and she chuckled and patted his hand with a whisper, "Don't get too excited yet, Castle, our three won't be up for a while yet." He just shrugged in response, exuding happiness. He was determined to give his full attention to all the officers receiving awards, no matter how big or small, for the entire ceremony.

Finally, after over thirty worthy men and women of the city had received their accolades, the commissioner introduced the last awards of the day, and Rick imagined he could feel his blood thrumming with excitement. He only realized his hand and fingers were bouncing and tapping on his thigh when Lanie took them in her own grasp. He leaned over and whispered his apology without breaking his concentration on the events unfolding in front of them.

* * *

 _A second chapter will follow in the next couple of days._


	2. Chapter 2

**Best Award Ever**

* * *

After the shift changed at the precinct, the party at the Old Haunt really started to get going. Starched uniforms had been swapped for jeans and button downs, or alluring little black dresses. Castle kept Beckett in the corner of his eye at all times while attending to the needs of his guests, even tending the bar when necessary. He knew that if he gave her any more of his attention, he'd be left incoherent and stumbling over his own feet: the woman was a goddess.

He almost wished he was exaggerating.

"Hey, Castle!" Ryan appeared at the bar, giving him a wave.

"Kevin! Want another round?" He began to pick up glasses from the shelf to his right.

"No, man, come over and join us for a bit."

"Sure, give me a sec," Rick replied as he turned to Brian, who waved him off with a smile.

Rick plucked his suit jacket from its hook and pulled it back on before he meandered his way through the crowd, heading towards the cluster of his closest friends while officers and their partners stopped him to say hello. He chatted to them all, not wishing to let any of them feel he was ignoring them. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and, as he excused himself from a conversation with Karpowski and Mueller, he turned to find Kate Beckett watching his progress across the room with the barest hint of a smile. She flicked an eyebrow at him, and he read her expression as clear as if she'd shouted across to him. _Get over here already_.

He sidled up to Kate, who had returned to mediating a small argument between Ryan and Esposito, and was about to press his hand to her lower back when he remembered that her _exquisite_ little black dress was backless. He swiftly shoved his wandering hand into his pocket with a frown, and Kate elbowed him in the ribs.

He turned his frown into a mock pout. "Hey! What was that for?"

She only gave him a mischievous wink in response as Esposito moved past, shaking his head at their antics. Javi jumped up onto the slightly raised flooring just behind the group and tried to call for quiet. Kevin nudged Rick closer to his partner, with Kate following on behind her boys.

"Hey, everybody! Quiet! We just wanna say a few words…" Ryan hopped up next to Esposito with a beaming grin as the bar began to quieten. Beckett slunk around Castle to stand beside him, and he met her eyes with a soft smile.

"Thank you all so much for coming tonight," Esposito began. "Even though we can't actually tell you the details of the case that earned us these Medals of Valor-…"

There were a few heckling groans from the crowd, causing Ryan to butt in, "Sorry, it's classified!"

Espo just laughed and continued, "Well, we just wanted to thank you all for supporting us today, and every day at the precinct too." The whole bar began to applaud, but Ryan waved them all to a stop before they could get carried away.

"We also want to thank, and congratulate, Detective Beckett, for being awarded the Medal of Honor. We're certain it won't be her last, since she and Castle always seem to be getting themselves into the kind of trouble that leads to 'imminent and personal danger to life'!" The crowd started to applaud again, this time with laughing, cheering and whistles, causing Beckett to duck her head with a shy smile.

Ryan took over from his partner, speaking in a slightly quieter voice. The crowd could tell that he was about to reach the climax of the little speech and there was a vibration of excitement. "Speaking of Castle, the poor guy didn't get a medal today. We all know he's not a sworn officer, and I know more than a few of you who used to say that was for the best, but damn if he ain't one of us now." It was Castle's turn to duck his head, the pride in being praised and accepted so wholeheartedly turning his ears pink. "So, when Esposito, Beckett, and I found out we were receiving citations, we thought it only right that Castle receive recognition too."

Ryan and Esposito stepped down from the raised dais to stand opposite Castle, the crowd murmuring in anticipation. Beckett opened her palm to Ryan and he placed a small jeweler's box into her hand as she moved to join her boys opposite her partner.

"Castle… Rick…" Kate's voice cracked on his name, and she took a moment to breathe, opening the box to show the symbol of New York City within a gold eight-pointed star within a dark green circle of enamel, a little bigger than half an inch across. The green matched his tie, and he gasped, his eyes flying back to meet Kate's. "For an act of extraordinary bravery, carried out with full knowledge of the risk involved, above and beyond the call of duty… we would like to present to you this token of our gratitude."

She took the small item out, letting Kevin take the box from her hand as she stepped up to Rick and pinned it to his lapel. As the crowd cheered and applauded even louder than before, Kate smoothed a tiny wrinkle from his suit, her hand scorching his chest through the wool of his suit and the cotton of his shirt. Rick almost forgot to breathe.

"And…" she whispered, "a token of my gratitude…" The briefest flicker of her gaze from his eyes to his lips was the only warning he had before Kate pressed her lips to his. Rick was so surprised his arms flew up, his hands finally touching her bare back as he pulled her body as close to him as possible. The noise of the crowd exploded and they broke apart just enough for him to rest his forehead to hers.

"Best. Award. Ever."


End file.
